The Nanny State
Which Nanny?
Michael Moore
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On behalf of the PHAA I would like to acknowledge the
traditional owners of the land and pay my respects in
particular to their elders, past and present.
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CEO PHAA
Adjunct Professor Health Policy and
Governance University of Canberra
Former Health Minister (ACT)
The Nanny of the Institute
of Public Affairs
“The Nanny State is obsessed with talking down (to)
people. It tells them the views they hold and the way they
Christian Kerr IPA
live their lives are wrong”
"It is the difference between a nanny-state 'government
knows best' approach, compared with the personal dignity
and control that comes from the freedom to make your
own choices while taking responsibility for those choices.”
Hon Andrew Robb AO Trade Minister (when in opposition)
Examples from IPA
Christian Kerr
Tobacco (prior to ‘interference’
by Nanny States)
‘Alcopops’
SMH
Epoch times
Gambling and Solariums
abc.net.au
Who is the Nanny?
Sun Spa & Sun Spa Clinic
Who dominates choice?
A Confused Agenda – the moral nanny
• Abortion
• Victorian Abortion Law Reform Bill
• enacted October 2008
• Opposition Christine Campbell (MLA Labor) Bernie Finn (MLC Liberal)
• Marriage equality
• Moral opposition from majority
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House of Reps
Senate
australianmarriageequality.org
• Prostitution
• Vicki Dunne (MLA Speaker ACT)
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The “Swedish model”
Tour with Christine Campbell (Vic), Peter Abetz (WA), Julia Jones (ACT)
Bernie Finn MLC (Vic)
• Unashamed conservative
• Anti-choice for women
• Quotes Ronald Reagan (Political hero)
• “Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives”
• Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their
lives
• Opposes Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities
Christine Campbell MLA (Vic)
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Labor conservative
Anti-choice for women – abortion, prostitution
Enjoys “family, cycling, bushwalking”
Interests: “religious and racial respect and dialogue”
Conservatives are found in both major parties
Freedom, regulation and human rights
• Big corporations
• Do not want interference
• Accusation often the “nanny state”
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• “Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their
faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person
and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social
progress and better standards of life in larger freedom”
(para 5)
• The role of government
• “will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall
be expressed in periodic and genuine elections”.
(Article 21)
• The Charter of Human Rights also protects against the “tyranny of the majority”
Interference or Domination?
• Pettit
• “My aim in this book is to try to identify the main features of freedom as nondomination”
Republicanism: A theory of freedom and government
• Domination: Who is the Nanny?
• Industry?
• Government?
Which Nanny – Kerr’s examples
• Nanny big tobacco?
• Who dominated the market place of ideas in the past?
• How does government level the playing field in tobacco
• Nanny big alcohol?
• Who dominates the market place now?
• Alcopops
• “after the tax loophole was closed have consistently shown a 30% drop in consumption of
alcopops and an overall drop in alcohol consumption” – Nicola Roxon
• Nanny gambling?
• Industry totally dominates
• Productivity Commission and Parliamentary Select Committee
• Nanny solarium industry?
• Government became the Nanny
• “Although many countries still face opposition to the legislation of artificial tanning beds, all
Australian states and territories have announced a total ban on commercial tanning beds”
Sinclair et al
Conclusion
• So many nannies
• The Mexican Wave
• 2007 Melbourne Cricket ground – Mexican Wave banned
• Did nanny Cricket Australia go too far?
• Freedom is an important public health issue